


Sargt

by TheNightWatcher



Category: Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing, Super Dangan Ronpa 2, 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù
Genre: Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Spirit AU!Danganronpa, Spirit World
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:40:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27651467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNightWatcher/pseuds/TheNightWatcher
Summary: No one told Ouma Kokichi that he would wake up after death as a spirit with a horn. And he sure as hell didn’t sign a contract to automatically become a “Gatekeeper” between the Spirit World and a mock Earth.Spoiler alert.He’s just as useless at his job as the other GateKeeper, a kitsune named Komaeda Nagito.
Relationships: Kamukura Izuru/Komaeda Nagito, Komaeda Nagito & Oma Kokichi
Comments: 4
Kudos: 67





	1. Waking Up To The Clouds

Ouma Kokichi wakes up to an apricot-colored sky with the taste of silver on the tongue. His body is warm, a barrier similar to a coat wrapped around his neck and downwards in a patterned style. He breathes but does not compute, blinks but does not truly see. His hands and just about everything else is numb and tingling with unbidden energy.

"Is this hell?" Kokichi mumbles, and, uh, wait, that's not it. "Purgatory?" Was the border between life and death supposed to have melted creamsicle ice cream skies? He takes in a breath, taking in the smell of bubblegum pink. Kokichi's grimaces from the bold stench of it, along with the sight of a clear sky with few pale clouds.

Far too lively, far too bright and beautiful. He never thought he'd see a true sky again. Not after he was fated to be trapped in a killing game, and not after dying.

Ah yes, death. He had died. Quite brutally, but his plan had been rushed and the only saving grace is the fact he chose his fall rather than succumb to the poison.

Yes, he should be nothing but a smushed puddle somewhere. And so where was…?

"Hmm. Mhm. You're a bit small, but you'll do."

Kokichi snaps his attention to a young woman laying two feet away, head on her palms and feet carelessly in the air. She faced him without a smile, expression blank. Her hair is pale rose and those eyes are a bold ocean blue. She shoots him a peace sign as a smile finally slid across the stranger's features. "Yo."

It's a strange greeting for someone who had no presence minutes ago.

"Yeah?" Kokichi cuts into her one-sided conversation, a grin plastering onto his face despite the inner claw he felt grab his insides. "And who are you?" Right to the point.

"Your boss." And she howled in laughter when Kokichi wasn't quick enough to hide whatever flashed in his expression. "Just kidding! I, Enoshima Junko, am a lot of things, Buzz Boy."

He won't be entertaining that nickname with a reaction. "I see. And I suppose you're the one who's going to explain…" Kokichi blinks as he takes in the smell of bubble gum again, and realizes it's from the girl next to him. There's also the sound of running steps and a whiff of minerals. Do minerals have a smell?

"Your Majesty!" A young man in a grey kimono had rushed on over. He stands out with all the pale white. "You didn't have to leave me behind! This space is very dangerous…"

Kokichi is then far too invested in staring at the stranger's sharp ears and eight fox tails rather than his face.

"Alele?" Enoshima sings. "Caught up with me already? You're too boring, Komaeda. I should fire you!" Her voice deepens. "Maybe I will, and then you'll finally learn to let me do what I want!" She gloats.

"Please don't." Komaeda drily says. "Incompetent as I am, this is the one job I'm somewhat good at." His posture straightens as he performs a beyond graceful and polite bow. "I see you found the newest spirit. It's been quite some time since another has…" He seems to quiet down and murmur, olive eyes soft with wonder.

What? Kokichi looks to Enoshima, who shrugs right back.

Kokichi breathes in, suppresses annoyance, breathes out. "No offense, but this is getting annoying _real_ fast. Explain." He still hasn't gotten up from the ground. Oh well, it's not like his legs were uncomfortable.

Enoshima beams before Komaeda could reply. "Whazzup! You're dead, yeah, but your soul is actually a powerful spirit bound to this place. Wherever you died, your soul came back to its original realm. Yeah? Yes? Oui?" She chants with a questioning tilt.

"Oui." Kokichi agrees, but not really. "And what kind of realm is this?" His mind had started swimming but that's alright.

"One for spirits, obviously. Of many different kinds! Although, there aren't _that_ many of us. Fewer than a hundred." Enoshima huffs. "And this is a big- _ass_ place, believe it or not. It's hard enough to deal with complaints when everyone's so _colorful._ " Her face wrinkles up as if she had eaten something sour.

Komaeda takes a seat by kneeling and shuffling his kimono appropriately. "Your Majesty here, serves as a mediator. She helps keep the peace between the other spirits." His voice is both raspy and soft in a way Kokichi cannot trust. "Although I wish she didn't daily terrorize the others." Komaeda grimaces.

"Keep the peace?" Kokichi stares at Enoshima.

She smiles viciously. "I beat the hell out of idiots who think they could fuck with me."

There's nothing but truth and challenge in her eyes. Kokichi swiftly averts his glance with a laugh and hum. "Gotcha. Warning taken. Please, Oh-Great-Enoshima, spare me from your horrors!"

Enoshima sulks, a sniffle breaking into the air. "Ahh, my own subjects, terrified of me…" She perks back up with a sneer. "But hey. You _get_ it. I'm glad you aren't another asshole looking for a power trip. We already got people below us trying that shit." She waves off her words.

Kokichi blinks very slowly. "People...Below?" He glances downward, but there are only soft tan clouds.

Why are there clouds in the sky and clouds on the ground? How are they even standing--Spirits, right.

Sure.

"Mmm, humans," Enoshima confirms. "The normal, boring kind." She says, with a completely human appearance aside from her otherworldly eyes.

"They're not boring, Your Majesty." Komaeda lightly chides, tails swishing. "However, she's correct. Our realms are separate but they live right below us." He looks to Kokichi with wide eyes. "This place, the Border Land, no one has awakened here for hundreds of years!"

Kokichi ignores the hairs rising on the back of his neck.

"No one aside from Luck Fox, here." Enoshima scoffs.

"And? What's that supposed to mean? Am I someone special?" Kokichi teases, tasting blood, and grits teeth in a bear-smile when Enoshima smiles pleasantly at him. Her smile is a lot more irritating than Komaeda's pitiful gaze.

A fingernail stretches and gently flicks his nose.

"What do _you_ think?"


	2. Mirror

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kokichi can't say he likes Enoshima's company.
> 
> Thankfully, Komaeda seems to be the calmer one of the two.

A Gatekeeper, the two had explained to him.

Anyone who woke up in the Border Land is destined to remain at the Gate.

"My name is Komaeda Nagito. The only other Gatekeeper of this world." The fox-like young man introduced himself with a bow and nod. "It's a pleasure to meet you…" Komaeda lifts his head and smiles thinly.

"Ouma. Ouma Kokichi." Kokichi curtly invites.

"And now that you two are coworkers," Enoshima huffs. "I am officially out of here! Got stuff to do, Spirits to _fuck_ up." Enoshima shrilly giggles and flexes her fingers. "I'll be back to make sure you aren't dead, Buzz Boy. You're hired and all that. Permission is apparently," She pops her lips lazily. "Important." Enoshima finishes.

"Buzz Boy?" Komaeda repeats, very puzzled.

"Yep. He's like a bumblebee." Enoshima twirls a finger. "Looks all intimidating and sounds annoying to a bunch of people," Her eyes lift, direct eye-contact achieved. "But it's very frizzy and easily squashable. Got me?"

Komaeda seems very concerned by her comparison.

Kokichi snorts. "With how our conversations have been going, he can't be any worse than you." Two seconds in, and he wonders if that was a bit much. It's difficult to hide hostility when the other person is open about their immoral.

Enoshima smirks and Kokichi ignores the chill running down his back. "I don't know about that. See ya, Komaeda. Newbie. Come by the palace why don't cha? It'd be fun to raise hell." She stands up without issue, fixing her hair with a hand. "Plus, it'd drive my sister crazy." As if Enoshima has done that before and more.

"Your Majesty," Komaeda doesn't quite complain, but he sounds tired.

"You deliberately terrorize your subjects using petty pranks and people you barely know, Your Majesty?" Kokichi cooes, a flame of past humiliation lashing out.

"Of course," Enoshima says, emotionless. "What else am I going to do? Exterminate them?"

Kokichi looks away. "...It was a lie." She was oddly serious about her statement. Pressing those buttons would be dangerous. And, well, Kokichi didn't have another deathwish so soon.

"Mm." Enoshima takes his outing without blinking.

"Anyway!" Komaeda disrupts with a wry smile. "I'll be showing Ouma the ropes. I promise we'll stop by."

"Hell yeah!" Enoshima hypes, fist pumped. "Ta-Ta then, boys."

She snaps her fingers and disappears into a fizzle of pink bubbles.

Kokichi blinks once, twice, then lifts himself into a sit-up position. He's gaping at where Enoshima had just been standing, which is now clear of any watery spheres.

"Ah, that?" Komaeda follows his train of thought without a trace of surprise. "She teleports often. It's how she ends up from place to place without anyone noticing. Enoshima is a...Well, you'll find out later. She just keeps to a strict human form all the time." He offers a hand, and Kokichi stares at his ridiculously sharp nails. "Come on now," Komaeda smiles. "I don't bite."

"Sure you won't, Big Bad Wolf." Kokichi chimes, and latches onto the other's wrist instead.

Komaeda nods and pulls him up. The ground clouds are more soft than bouncy. Like sand. "Foxes and wolves are quite different. I'm almost hurt, haha."

Kokichi turns to the sky once again. "Yeah? Maybe I should try harder then."

Komaeda doesn't respond.

Kokichi doesn't bother looking at him.

"Ouma," Komaeda murmurs, and his tone is deeply regretful. "I'm sorry. I really am useless." The admittance is quieter than the kitsune's shift of cloth. "I should leave you to grieve. I don't know where you came from, who you left behind…" Komaeda joins him by tilting his head to the spaced-out clouds above.

"That's bold of you." Kokichi cuts in.

"Ah?"

"Bold of you," Kokichi hums. "To assume I left anyone behind. I didn't have the best reputation, and everything is too wonky to know if everything I knew was real or not." He lacks the energy to spit lies, lacks the energy to throw his hands into the air, and scream. His throat is raw but he hasn't done anything but speak somewhat reasonably for the past hour. "How do I know _this_ is real?"

Komaeda stares at him.

"Would you rather a duel, then?"

"Duel?" Kokichi blurts then laughs, "Who even uses that word-" And shuts up after catching Komaeda's far too calm posture. "Are you serious? You _really_ want to try fighting?" Fighting a literal kitsune?

"Ah, it would be no problem," Komaeda tells him with a better smile. "I often spar with a dear friend of mine, you'll see him around. He visits every other day." Eight tails swish. "You're new to this, so I know how to hold back." He says, as if Komaeda may be a bloodthirsty warrior in disguise.

"Yeah. No." Kokichi shuts down with a quick shake of the head. "I uh, I don't like fighting." Not physically, anyway. "Yep. Not me. I, Ouma Kokichi, is a lover, not a fighter." He proclaims with a huff.

"That's fine! I know when my pathetic skills aren't good enough to learn from." Komaeda cheerfully says, and Kokichi wonders why the kitsune was downgrading himself with a smile. "Then do you know how to protect yourself at least?" The out of left-field question raises alarms.

Kokichi frowns. "...Yes?"

"Don't get me wrong, I was just making sure!" Komaeda raises his hands and shakes them in a non-threatening gesture. "Gate Keepers have to be at least _decent_ in defense. Just in case." The kitsune adds, nonchalantly.

"In case…?" Kokichi tackles on with a squint.

He already hates it here.

" _In case_ we're attacked. We're defending a gate, Ouma." Komaeda tilts his neck west. "And humans _really_ want to reach that gate." His smile is sad, sorrowful. "Not that anyone has succeeded. I've made sure of that." The information is worrying but there's another matter to press.

"'Humans.'" Kokichi repeats. "Were you not human before?" He didn't mean to have a harsh bite to his tone.

"A bit," Komaeda says, eyes crinkled. "But I am no longer such, as are you."

Kokichi stiffens, and finally, _finally_ takes a good look at himself. He had been mentally avoiding it, looking to the sky and imagining a taste of the fluffy clouds rather than his warmer temperature or light misbalance on the head. For someone to call him out on the avoidance, Kokichi finally observed what he had become.

His arms have scales, both dark scales, and light fur. His hand snatches upwards, gripping a singular horn curved to the sky like a holy sword's oath for victory. Kokichi's breaths become uneven as he tugs at the mane of pale fur around his neck, a permanent scarf.

His heart races, and doesn't stop. Fingers burn with unused energy. He feels as if punching a boulder would be easy, and perhaps going all out against the kitsune wouldn't be much of a disaster as predicted.

And that's terrifying. So very terrifying.

"What _is_ this?!" Kokichi hisses, voice a shriek due to the high-pitched pinch to his throat.

"It's you," Komaeda patiently tells him. "It has always, always been the true you."

Kokichi screams. Curses, screams, and shouts disbelief as the 'Reality' had become the 'Real.' He began digging at his sides to rid the scales and yell nonsense.

Let this be from grief. Let it be from terror.

Regardless, Komaeda is there to catch him when he falls.

And the kitsune doesn't say a word. He merely stays. Sticks around to make sure Kokichi couldn't do anything he could never take back. Komaeda's eyes are dimmed with understanding. As if something similar had happened long ago when another soul had awakened lost on the clouds.

Both former humans knew. Even in death, nothing was fair.


	3. Picnic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With time comes adaption to change.
> 
> ...And a bit of detail of what goes on down below.

Never before has a job been so _easy_ yet so boring. At least Komaeda was eager to tell him stories about what happened below. It was the most the kitsune could do after hours of waiting and apparently being ready for absolutely nothing. Komaeda was the type of person Kokichi could sucker if he was patient.

And of course, Kokichi's patience paid off.

A pale hand dips into the prized possession Gate Keepers were 'supposedly' keeping safe.

"Wait wait wait," Kokichi debates if he wants to hear that statement again. "You're telling me there are _zombies_ down there?" The literal zombies from movies? The ones who gnaw flesh, bite, and multiply?

"Yep! All Undead and moving. Have a look, Ouma." Komaeda draws a circle and the surface ripples.

The Gate is a literal pool of water. Wide as a lake, circular as a pond. The surrounding ground consists of volcanic black sands and the glitter of occasional gemstones embedded.

Months before, the two had long left the Border-Land. Komaeda had guided Kokichi out of the land of clouds and onto a pathway of starlight and direction.

This realm was very colorful, Kokichi had begrudgingly noted in the past. And it still is. Very colorful, and super lively in the right places.

Enoshima had been right. There were many assholes, but they were colorful all the same.

"Ah, here we go! Here's an example." Komaeda calls him over, and Kokichi leans over to catch a closer look. "It's not a zombie, but one of the many creatures which spawn down there. A dangerous place, isn't it?" He muses as if there have been worse sights than this.

The water reflection shows the scene of a cave. A dark space, with inner stone icicles and jaded stones laying around. Deep within, there's a tortoise munching on white cartilage. It's large shell nearly touches the tall ceiling and the creature's red eyes sluggishly blink.

"What the hell is that," Kokichi breathes before bursting into hysterics. "It's as big as the cave! Is it seriously eating bones? Bleh, sucks to be them. Wouldn't want to deal with that." He pauses. "Unless you're me, of course! I'll have you know, in my past life, I was a slayer of evil!" Kokichi declares, rubbing at his nose.

Komaeda blinks. "Were you?"

"That was a lie." Kokichi relays breezily. "I wasn't nearly as cool as you, Mr Wizard."

The kitsune flushes but does not retract his hand. It's a hilarious sight. " _Former_. I am no longer a wizard nor do I practice magic spells. I don't think we can, not kitsunes, anyway. Not until we reach our full potential." Komaeda watches the monster tortoise stretch its long neck. "It takes time for monsters to develop, I'm sure spirits work the same way."

Kokichi whistles. "You mean like the nine-tails? Why _do_ you have eight of them? Each tail is a hundred years, right?" And Komaeda has been here much longer than Kokichi has.

"Just about." Komaeda mumbles. "It's the most crucial and delicate stage. Anything can happen." Pale olives darken, and Kokichi resists the urge to twitch as Komaeda ruefully smiles. "Of course, I can become a celestial fox. That, or I perish long before I reach that goal because I'm utter garbage who can't talk to anyone without fearing for their lives." He snickers. "Or, or even. Even! What if I die before that? Who knows, tomorrow I might not…" Fingers stab into the water, and the tortoise nearly fades from sight.

"Komaeda!" Kokichi snaps.

"Mmm," Komaeda mumbles after stilling. "Mm'Sorry." His voice is raspy but lost.

Kokichi leans closer and flicks the kitsune's forehead. Komaeda yelps as Kokichi 'tsks' right back. "You're not allowed to die. Enoshima would have my head, and your Should-Be Boyfriend would flay me alive." He ignores Komaeda's loud sputtering "You're gonna leave me behind for the aftermath? I don't forgive easily, Fox!" Kokichi's grin is apparently enough for Komaeda to hide his face with a free hand.

"Why do you always bring that up?" Komaeda heavily exhales with wide eyes. "So embarrassing. Never graduate from this phrase. I won't be able to face him at this rate." He says, taking the moment to calm his breathing and allow the red to fade back into his usual colors.

"Really? Strange since he's right there." Kokichi points behind himself.

"Eh?"

"Hiya, Izu-chan!" Kokichi chirps.

"Do not call me that." The monotone voice is an indication of a new arrival.

Komaeda jumps regardless, the poor fox.

Kokichi snickers.

"Ouma." The spirit mostly in human form nods to Kokichi, then looks to Komaeda. "Nagito."

Komaeda straightens himself, palm still in the water but otherwise professional. He likely doesn't realize his fox-ears are raised in perk enthusiasm. "Kamukura! What brings you here?"

Kamukura Izuru, Kokichi had observed for two months, is quite a difficult person.

Difficulty to feel, difficulty to act naturally social. His posture scares off most spirits with any remote friendliness in their hearts. The only company he tends to keep is Enoshima and Komaeda. Kokichi couldn't pity him, not with how the ruby-eyed spirit views others, but he didn't hate Kamukura either.

"Picnic." Kamukura easily says and lifts a hand. There's a classic picnic basket in his grip.

Kokichi pounces and misses as Kamukura easily side-steps. "Ahh! No fair, I want a sandwich too!" He lays on the ground and shuts his eyes. "Oh man, I put all of my energy into that jump. It hurts. My stomach." Kokichi groans. "How could Izu-chan be so cruel…" His head whips up before either of them could reply. "Wait, does this mean,"

"Don't say it," Komaeda pleads.

"I'm intruding on your date? Why didn't you say so!" He can leave, just say the word, captain Kamukura!

"Ouma!"

"It's fine." Kamukura takes a professional sitting by the pool. Similar to how Komaeda sits on his knees. "I brought enough for him as well."

Kokichi sniffles. "You're an angel, Izu-chan." He blinks once, twice. "Then this isn't a date? Darn, you need to hurry it up, Kitty Boy."

Kamukura doesn't dignify that with a response.

Komaeda smiles, "Thank you, Kamukura. I'm sure Kokichi appreciates it. I certainly do. Thank you for going out of your way to do this."

Kokichi raises his eyebrows when Kamukura stares for three seconds too long before nodding.

Kokichi resists the urge to dramatically sigh.

They're both hopeless idiots. Please let there not be anyone worse than them. Please.

Kokichi takes a sneak peek back to the water. There's someone there, a traveler according to their heavy robe clothing. "Hey!" He chips, because it's his first time seeing a normal person! "Komaeda, what time period," Kokichi quiets as the monster swiftly chomps down and ends the traveler's life before they could blink. There's a splatter of red on the cave floor.

The kitsune and Kamukura are equally quiet, with the latter disinterested.

No reaction, not a hint of disbelief of pity in those dull rubies for eyes.

"I've seen enough," Kokichi says, voice hoarse. He internally seethes but will not cause a scene.

"Sorry." Komaeda murmurs. "Sorry, I didn't mean to show you that." He hastily picks up more words but Kokichi laughs aloud.

"It's okay! I get it. I understand. Really." Kokichi grins, mouth painful in the stretched grip.

Kamukura takes a bite out of his onigiri. "Death occurs every day, Ouma." He calmly reminds him, as if he were a little boy. "And such often occurs where the humans reside." Cold-hearted fact, terrible terrible facts in probability no one asked for.

"Shut up, Kamukura." Kokichi spits, energy tingling under his scales.

Komaeda frowns, Kokichi ignores it.

Kamukura doesn't react, merely taking another bite of his home-made lunch.

"Ah, but humans have their own source of powers to defend themselves." Komaeda ratifies with a bob of the head.

Kokichi hardly blinks but he doesn't respond, awaiting more information.

"Long ago," Komaeda's eyes glitter as they always do when he speaks of the past. "One of us gifted humans the ability to manifest magical cores within themselves." He winks when Kokichi chokes on air. "It's a double-edged sword, but when handled correctly, monsters, demons, ghouls...They can all be taken down." There's a hint of pride in his voice.

"Who gave them the ability?" Kokichi stares Kamukura down, and Komaeda blinks worriedly.

"Now, Ouma, I don't think Kamukura would be willing-" The kitsune attempts to switch subjects but quiets when a hand is raised.

"You would find out if you did not avoid the others." Kamukura simply says.

Kokichi smiles with his teeth.

Kamukura stares right back.

"Wow. So informative." Kokichi decides to say, escaping any further thought of actual fighting words.

Kamukura nods. "You're welcome." And begins eating another damned rice ball.

Jerk. Asshole.

"A-Anyways!" Komaeda laughs nervously. "How about we talk about something else?"

Kamukura looks to Komaeda. "Enoshima said to watch yourselves." Rubies land on Kokichi before turning away. "She felt a disturbance a couple of days ago. I felt it as well." Kamukura shuts his eyes. "I assume it's another greedy noble who has gotten their hands on old stories." Rubies are once again revealed to the world. Kamukura offers Kokichi a rice ball, which the latter accepts with a huff.

"Desperate enough to believe in old fairy tales like us?" Komaeda drily asks, rolling his eyes. His tails swish across the black sands."That's a bother. I'll deal with it." He promises as if the sky could be any color, and he would have never changed his words.

"And what about Ouma?" Kamukura intrudes as if Kokichi wasn't right _there_ with them.

"It would be good training to show him how it's done." Komaeda offers Kokichi a gentle wave. "Don't worry, Ouma, I'll keep you safe, in case anything goes wrong." He reassures.

"With your luck," Kamukura interjects. "It just might."

"Probably." Komaeda cheerfully agrees. "I'll manage."

Kokichi nibbles at his riceball. Komaeda is watching him from the corner of his fox vision, and Kokichi isn't sure what to think about the emotion in those murky olive-oil eyes.

"I _have_ to." Komaeda resolutely promises as he did moments ago, and Kamukura nods very quietly.

"You will look wonderful with nine tails." Kamukura says, and Komaeda chokes on his rice.

Kokichi bursts into giggles, but he'll admit, the food doesn't taste flavorful.

Whatever. He'll take the subject change.


	4. The Wizard's Word

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plus Ultra, Komaeda.
> 
> (Kokichi hates owing debts.)

Kokichi watches the water's surface with the previous conversation in mind. Face blank, he turns to the kitsune, who seems busy daydreaming.

Throughout the months Kokichi has learned his coworker's habits. Komaeda was a very strange person, even before he became a spirit. Kokichi is aware Komaeda sometimes mentally leaves. A consequence of memories of the past, possibly. The kitsune's strange, sure, but a terribly lonely soul with self-hate as a grappling hook on life.

Perhaps it was pathetic. The other spirits don't suffer from odd quips nor hate themselves as much as the kitsune does. However, this was the same spirit who didn't mind teaching Kokichi about how everything worked. Held onto patience when Kokichi absolutely refused to talk to any other spirits aside from the select few he's met already. Komaeda also taught him how to do a little more than defend himself after Kokichi had been 'tested' by Kamukura himself, to see if Kokichi was 'strong enough' to be the second Gate-Keeper.

Again. An asshole.

"Komaeda." Kokichi looks over to his dazed somewhat-mentor.

"Hmm?" Still there, Komaeda? Good.

"You don't need to protect me. I can protect myself." Kokichi declares and knows it's not a lie.

Komaeda's smile seems lazy. Kokichi can detect sorrow from a mile away. "You sure can." He says cheerfully. "Ouma, you have the potential to be someone great. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if anything happened to you." Komaeda straightens up, his height should be illegal. "To think I was given a colorful companion! Meanwhile, you got saddled with me." The kitsune's ears lower.

"Aaand stop," Kokichi grumbles. "You're doing it again-Agh, were you like this back in your village? Even as one of the best wizards to exist?" He has to ask.

"I was," Komaeda answered with a guilty smile.

"Welp. If it makes you feel better, I'm sure not even the huntsmen would kill you. He would feel too bad." Kokichi shrugged. "In fact, he'd just take his ax and leave. Nothing to see here. Just a sad predator." He poses as a casual hunter with a gun.

"I'm not a wolf, Ouma," Komaeda states the obvious.

"Yep." Easy agreement there.

"I'm serious...Foxes and wolves are different." Komaeda presses and Kokichi grins.

"As you say, Big _Bad_ Kitsune." Kokichi chirps.

Komaeda looks as if he aged another hundred years. No tail though, and so Kokichi counts it as a win.

"Ouma."

Kokichi tilts a finger to indicate he was listening.

"Why don't you go meet the other spirits?" Komaeda hadn't pushed before, so Kokichi scoffs.

" 'Cuz they're ugly. And dumb too." Kokichi picks at his nails, observing the odd sharpness. "I just don't have interest in them. I like being a lone wolf, you hear?" He tells in a bored lull, rolling eyes for added effect.

"Ah...Um." Komaeda murmurs, hesitant.

"Don't worry about it. It's not you, it's just me." Kokichi decides to say. "If I ever feel like meeting the others, I'll take you with me, 'kaaay?" Since the kitsune was one of the more powerful spirits. And a good decoy should anything happen-Not that Komaeda would get hurt.

The kitsune was seriously powerful. Kokichi is _almost_ jealous.

"If, if you don't mind, then yes." Komaeda nods. "I would like that. There are a couple places I want to show you." The kitsune offers a brighter grin.

"Like where?" Now his attention was properly caught.

"Well," Komaeda chuckles. "Each spirit eventually opens up their own separate space. Their very own area, I suppose? I never got to show you mine." He lifts a hand, foxfire flashing to life in a flare of violet flame. "Us Spirits have different forms, but we develop environments as our soul sees fit." Komaeda glances upward. "Like the castle-Enoshima created that herself."

Any topic mentioning that disaster of a high school girl crumbles something inside.

"Ugh, she did?" Kokichi grumbles. "Her ego is so huge it hurts. Like her castle." As if he's seen much of that huge brick-structure outside the Borderlines and into the deeper parts of this realm.

"Enoshima isn't too bad." Komaeda laughs. "She's actually quite protective of everyone here. Aside from her ruthless iron-first rule." The kitsune says.

"I hate liars, Komaeda." Kokichi shakes his head. "You have grievances against her too." He points out without restraint, and the kitsune merely provides a wordless smile.

Ha. How funny.

"Anyways, let's stop talking about that." Kokichi spins the topic away. "How about we talk about how you keep pinning after cat-boy? When will you two go on an _actual_ date?"

The sound of a fox choking on spit is always fun.

"Why are you doing this," Komaeda wheezes.

"Because it's painful and fun to do, you poor Fox." Kokichi snorts. "It'll be years until either of you properly say something." He waves a hand. "I'm down for helping you out. The feeling is obviously mutual, so there's no harm." It'd give him something to do too.

"Did _you_ have anyone you liked before?" Komaeda snaps, and Kokichi realizes the nerve he mashed. "What do _you_ know?"

Kokichi pauses, hesitant.

Komaeda stiffens.

"Sorry. I'm sorry." Komaeda turns away. "That's...That was rude of me. How pathetic to be riled up over the smallest things. Of course, of _course,_ that's not my business." He begins to mumble. "Please ignore me, Ouma." The kitsune rubs at his face. "I might just be a little snappy from the stress." He reasons, and it can be taken as a half-truth.

Oh well, Kokichi knows he's been a little too pushy.

"You mean the...Whatever's happening down there?" Kokichi can't say he's been observing what happens below. After witnessing the death of a nameless person, a whole new world became unappealing to see from afar. Bad memories of the past decide to attack during those times as well.

It could be PTSD. ...Eh, probably not.

"Yes," Komaeda confirms. "It's been a bit…"

Silence.

Kokichi glances up to his coworker. Komaeda's face is blank. "Been what?"

The kitsune's ear twitch is the only warning before the air switches into heavy density.

Kokichi jumps to his feet as the sound of an explosion slamming against his eardrums. Cursing, he snaps his head up to see an array of scarlet transparent circles holding patterns beyond his knowledge.

It surrounded them on all ends, closing off exists with crippling speed.

Komaeda steps forward, face stern. "Ouma, stay put."

Kokichi's breath kicks up as the circles increase from six to sixteen, to thirty-two. As if the circulation was attempting to create an ultimate dome. This is the first time he's seen this, whatever _this_ was, but his instincts are screaming. Nerves are shrieking about the amount of trouble they were in.

Sixty-Four circles.

The heat from the raw magic burns like unfiltered sunlight and Kokichi chokes as Komaeda leapt into the air, nails extending sharper claws as he began ruthlessly shredding the runes to pieces.

Kokichi couldn't look away. Each movement is filled with both grace and speed, the kitsune leaping from self-made emerald-shining runes to rocketed himself from side to side, gaining velocity to decimate the intruding spells with deadly accuracy. Within less than fifteen seconds, there were only less than eight hostile spells left.

(Kamukura had once said Komaeda fought harder than anyone else when he was in the presence of those he called friends.)

The kitsune slashes four in a row, throwing a leg down to shatter the fifth circle from getting too close. He falls backward but crushes the sixth on the way down with a fist.

(Kokichi believes it.)

Why _is_ Kokichi here? Komaeda was strong, beyond the definition of strength. He didn't need anyone to help him with this 'GateKeeping' business.

Kokichi raises a hand toward the last set of runes, eyes falling to focused slits as he focuses.

Komaeda pauses as an icicle shoots from Kokichi's singular horn, and the circle breaks like the others.

The kitsune smiles at him, but Kokichi can't create eye-contact.

Pathetic.

The broken reds glitter and fall as gently as snowflakes, shaped like broken glass. Sluggish in descending, the remains haven't disappeared yet.

Komaeda holds a sleeve of his kimono to his mouth. "They've been getting bolder but this feels...A little too easy. I truly need to contact Kamukura about this." The kitsune sighs. "He'd be able to have something done quicker than Enoshima since she's entirely forgetful-"

Kokichi snaps his attention on the flicking change of light.

The broken pieces of scarlet take up an orange hue, with a singular patch glowing magenta.

Komaeda also falls silent, bristling as the hundreds of shards snap together in a clustered pile of colored tints.

The pieces then swirl and twist into a row of odd-alphabet characteristics of a different language. A new set of runes, bold and sharp in sight.

Kokichi has no idea what that is. And yet there's an immense chill he can't seem to shake from his spine. The same chill he felt when a Killing Game was announced when he first saw an execution, and when he realized there was no getting out of the situation.

It's all the same.

"Oh," Komaeda whispers, his voice is lost. "... _These_ forbidden runes?" He smiles, not an ounce of warmth present. "How useless of me, to not expect something like this. Humanity was always cruel. To think they're willing to," Pale olive-eyes lock on Kokichi's dark sets. "Ouma," Komaeda calls, and the mentioned Spirit thickly swallows.

"I'm sorry, Ouma." Komaeda ducks his head, "But I promise," His eyes glitter. "You'll be okay."

Kokichi opens his mouth but he's forced into silence as the runes lurch forward like thin whips, grab his wrist and pull him through the sands as if the particles created water.

The pull isn't gentle, and Kokichi realizes his entire body has fallen transparent as he's viciously tugged through the ground regardless of any sound created. Ghosts cannot drown in the sand, cannot breathe, and still face repercussions. The free-pull never stops and he's only faintly thankful there's not a particle of sand in his mouth as he is pulled through solid darkness in place of the volcanic sands.

There are no breaks in Tug of War, especially if his arm feels a resisting tug will tear the limb straight off.

His eyes sting, the overwhelming burn on his trapped wrist feeling as quickly burning iron.

"Shit! Shit," Kokichi rasps, and his vision is greeted to empty air for two seconds before he's pulled further along and into familiar cream clouds. In the corner of his vision, a tuft of white grabs his attention. "Komaeda!" Kokichi shouts because _what the hell is happening_ and _oh_ -how his hand hurts so badly cutting it off seems plausible.

His heart lurches when he sees how tied up his coworker was.

Kokichi may have suffered one unbreakable thread, but Komaeda had them _all over._

Komaeda's arms, legs, waist, tails, and even his neck were restrained in tight knots.

 _Those magical circles,_ Kokichi dazed his thoughts in a flurry. _They were some kind of trap to lure us in._ Each rune circle had likely been a singular strand waiting to lock-on targeted magic.

_Shit._

And despite being completely tied up, Komaeda seemed uniquely focused on him. Pale olives are burning bright, mouth snapped shut in an intense press of lips. Komaeda Nagito has never felt so solid before, regardless of the many times, Kokichi had watched him retreat into the self-hatred of a thousand suns.

Both Gatekeepers are pulled further and break through the Boarder-Land's last set of clouds.

Kokichi could feel them slam through the surface of _something._ He could also feel the utter _shatter_ against the grain, and his vision blares in black before recovering with a bright blue sky he hasn't seen in so long. Bright sun rays attack his eyes with exposure.

Out of one singular realm and into another.

Below is a haze of fog created by the atmosphere and distance from the sky to the ground. It's beautiful, so very beautiful that he's almost able to forget the burning sensation on his lift. The sunlight on his back feels like a warm blanket.

Kokichi faintly realizes they're being tugged in the same direction. The string of runes seems to generously push him through the air closer to the kitsune's restrained form.

A glint glides through Komaeda's eyes and he lashes out with a snarl.

Kokichi feels chilly at the sickening snap his coworker suffered from struggling.

Regardless, with a broken arm, Komaeda had thrown a spear made of pure emerald magic.

It shears through Kokichi's single string after three seconds of head-to-head contact.

Kokichi is left reeling, with a lack of force guiding him, and so he's tossed mercilessly in the air like a weightless piece of flat paper. "Komaeda!" He rasps out because that _idiot_ looks as if he's satisfied with just this.

As if saving Kokichi from whatever's coming next had been his last wish.

The Former Wizard is soon out of sight, reeled in by the unknown source of magic determined to keep at least _one_ prize.

 _Fuck, fuck, wait, you can't,_ Can't _go_. Can't go off and die! Komaeda what the _Hell-_

Gravity takes hold, and Kokichi falls properly when reality finally catches up with his impossible presence.

He has no idea what's happening. No idea what's going to happen to Komaeda or himself but _still._

Kokichi Ouma is utterly terrified for both of their lives, and as he falls alone head-first into actual water his rage is swallowed by bubbles.


	5. Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kokichi commits to a journey in this new realm.
> 
> It's not at all pleasant.

Kokichi isn't the best swimmer, but he was a Supreme Leader of many talents. The grueling climb was difficult, but he broke the surface and fled to solid ground. Completely wet from the freezing bath, Kokichi was long trembling on all fours.

All _fours_.

Like an animal.

All because for some reason, his autonomy decided to pull a fast one and switch completely to that of a mythical creature. The grass is dry, and the rippling water from the wide lake reflects an unknown beast.

Clearly, the water shows the creature Kokichi was _supposed_ to be, but he had no idea what he was.

Originally, Kokichi had assumed the 'Fairy-Princess Unicorn'. What else has one tall horn, right?

And after all, Kokichi was just so-damnably mythical to have survived as long as he did back in his original world. Completely legendary to have avoided murder unless it was on his own terms. He was the Ultimate who had played the game of Chess with an unknown traitor among the mass of students which shrunk every day and figured out more than most. His mythical spirit form must be something equally majestic right?

_Wrong._

Kokichi can easily declare he hates his new body from the hooves to the horn. His equine back is covered in white scales, black fur for the stomach, legs, and half his snout. His eyes are a piercing amethyst. His black hooves have white pointed tips of their own, and his pale mane curves around his neck like the scarf from back then. The horn on his head is both sharp and monochrome, glittering in the rays of sunlight.

He seemed to be a mix of a horse, _maybe_ a lion, and something else with scales.

Regardless of a regal appearance, Kokichi is certain this was the human world.

And humanity is absolutely _stupid_ in the worst ways.

Can he get back? The Spirit Realm wasn't the best but it wasn't a horror-movie incarnate! Dealing with zombies? Dealing with monstrous turtles? He didn't want to deal with any of that! If he causes a big-enough scene, _someone_ up there is bound to notice.

 _...Yeah but, I can't go back yet._ Kokichi stares at his reflection. _Komaeda risked himself for me. That idiot._ He wants to curl his lip but he has no idea how to do so with this weird body.

Hm? Someone will notice…?

Kokichi blinks very slowly, lifting a hoof. _Well, Izuru might actually blow a fuse._ If the impassive spirit truly had feelings for Komaeda that is. He never got to see Kamukura with anything more than a frown or the smallest smile ever to exist. Kokichi did his best to cause the first, and Komaeda would always accidentally trigger the second action on Kamukura's face.

What _would_ be Kamukura's reaction? To come across an empty space meant for two "Gate-Keepers" to protect. Would he realize something was amiss within seconds and walk back calmly? Or would he rush the fastest Kokichi has ever seen him?

Kokichi realizes he's been staring at his reflection for longer than he should and uses a hoof to disturb the water into boundless ripples. The darkness of his shadow is far better than looking at the face of some strange beast with a horn.

He barely has to pay attention. The sounds of the forest are both a lull and a generous amount of music for life.

The chirps of crickets, the shifting leaves from the wind. A frog swimming in the waters, and birds tweeting about their day in the branches. The forest is foggy but not scary. The forest is open but not friendly. It's free. Free and owes absolutely nothing to no one.

Kokichi keeps listening. His hoof steps into soft dirt.

 _Like I wanted to come down here,_ Kokichi internally scoffs and ducks his head to sniff at a flower.

That was a lie. Just simply, not in these circumstances.

He was not going to despair here. Kokichi was not going to mope around and sulk about his uselessness from the past. He wasn't going to sit back and pull strings when there was nothing to pull. Kokichi Ouma was the Ultimate Supreme Leader, and leaders do not yield due to the cards they're given.

First. Find out what happened to Komaeda. Figure out how to contact Enoshima or Kamukura, and get a better _plan._ Lastly, find Komaeda. Rescue, if the worst had truly come to pass.

Which Kokichi knows is likely the case.

_I can do this,_

Sadly, that alone sounded like a lie.

* * *

Kokichi refused to eat grass. He refused to devour whatever weird berries resided on plants under the shade. His stomach rolls with a rumble but he forces his legs to continue walking. One stumble at a time. Hooves are difficult, stupid, and worthless. So is his stomach, the traitor never staying quiet for more than five minutes.

Would it be silly of him to miss Kamukura's picnic baskets?

He's been walking miles with little break. The forest was massive in size, it seemed. At least the water was drinkable. Kokicki, someone who's been drinking purified water for years, had taken a moment of horror to realize the number of germs he's intaking. Seconds later, he got over it. Dying brutally had taken the pickiness right out of him.

Dehydration was a dangerous condition to have. Kokichi refuses to collapse.

Still, food is a necessity it seems.

Just not grass. Or possible poison.

He'd _really_ like to not deal with poison again, thank you.

Kokichi takes another stumbling step, jumping back in time as a boar rushes past him with a hearty squeal. Feeling as if he were raising an eyebrow, Kokichi watches the mammal flee before it vanishes in a gust of wind.

Kokichi blinks very slowly.

A louder, distanced squeal from above catches his attention. He tilts his head up.

The boar is embraced by a net, hanged upside down, and struggling with all its might. The material must be strong because the net barely moves. In fact, the net glitters under the faint light past the clearing fog.

Kokichi does his best to ignore the rattling clamor inside his core. That could've been him.

You don't know the meaning of lacking hands until you have to pick up items with no fingers.

How would he be able to cut a _net?_ His horn, perhaps? However, his horn wasn't a sharp dagger!

Kokichi nods at the captured boar in respect.

Sucks to live in the circle of life, doesn't it? Well, it's not his business, although he appreciated the warning. Time to move on before whatever lucky sap decided to claim their prize.

Kokichi turns away to meet face-to-face with two wide-eyed young men wearing golden robes.

The two seconds of pin-drop silence is crushed by the boar's resounding squeal from above.

They continue to stare, and Kokichi stares back in equal fascination.

One of them frantically whispers a language Kokichi is confident _he doesn't know_ and takes a step forward with hunched shoulders. The other grabs his partner's arm with a terrified shake of the head.

Kokichi resists the urge to rush off, careful for traps despite the millions of thoughts rushing through his head. He cannot retreat without accidentally running into a net. And that would be bad, but the situation feels worse.

One of them has a _bow._ A classic bow you would see in those medieval period movies during times of war. Arrows that look so breakable, only to be quite a terror in real life should someone actually attempt to _shoot_ you.

And well, he's been shot before. In the shoulder. In the back.

His head throbs just thinking about those intolerable minutes, and his hooves unconsciously kick deeper into the dirt.

The sound of a foot sliding across the dirt shouldn't be terribly loud.

However, it _is,_ and Kokichi could hear the sound of his breaths as his head and hooves rear in back with a vicious sense of deja-vu. His heart keeps thundering, insides racing. Vision has started to become clouded and all Kokichi wants to do is _run the hell away._ Why the _hell_ did this go wrong so fast, and what did Harukawa _mean?_

There's a shot, a _twang,_ and a piercing pain in his side.

Just like before.

Kokichi cannot scream in an equine form. Instead, the sound that leaves his new throat is one of a high-pitched whine of pure pain.

His head is full of water as he charges forward, horn shining with an absolute warning of impalement if these assholes _did not get out of the way._ His stumbling hooves had gained velocity and falling was not an option.

He barely hears the young men's yelps as they tackle themselves out of the way.

Kokichi continues to dash and never turns back.

He lets his instincts and veil of terror lead his adrenaline rush. His mind swims and drowns, but he leaps over cliffs, runs across fields, and hardly stops for anything. Little animals dash away to get away from his stomping hooves, and he crushes stones as if they were delicate candy rocks. He leapt over fences, ran across shallow waters to reach better ground.

Kokichi is still running even when he feels moonlight begin to hit his back.

He finally stumbles and shuts his eyes as his hoove bends with a painful twist. As a result, he crashes. The rolling doesn't end. Kokichi finally slides down a dip of dirt and grass, finally ending up at the bottom of...Wherever he was. Everything was a misty fog, hard to see through but he could smell the water and fresh grass.

Kokichi attempts to get back onto all four legs. He crashes back down in a fit of pain and an injured limb. He attempts again, fails. Dirt flies into the air from his retries, and Kokichi chokes on a stressed lung.

He finally stops moving. Allows his muscles to relax but his body isn't listening. Muscles tense and a wave of hurt inflicts onto nerves. Kokichi trembles.

...It hurts. There's an arrow sticking out of his side. Just below his scales, and into softer fur which falsely protected his stomach. He could feel the drip of warm liquid falling from the wound. It's a sickening realization that he had mindlessly ran for hours on end without rest. Regardless, he's in so much pain. His leg burns feverishly, and his side throbs with an unextinguished flame.

Kokichi can't look. He feels sick, especially with the arrow's feather in the corner of his eye.

This. This isn't enough to kill him. Kokichi knows this.

And yet he's tired. Tired of everything, exhausted to the bone and suffering from both the cold and pain clawing at his nerves.

Kokichi blinks hard when the weather begins to drizzle. He shivered as the increase of raindrops began to pour all over the area, and onto his strange new body. His white scales seem to repel the water but his black fur doesn't have the same benefits.

Kokichi finally gets up, almost slipping on a forming puddle before beginning the long limp forward. Time falls into a sluggish drag along with intervals of flaring pain.

He reaches a field of grass. Lush as the forest, plentiful and ticklish.

Kokichi collapses as the rain continues to fall.

He doesn't bother to move, shutting his eyes with a tiny breath.

There's no one to argue against him for a nap. No one to nudge him awake, to tell him there were better places to sleep.

Once again, Kokichi Ouma is alone.

He sleeps in the darkness with that knowledge, lost and cold.

And bitterly, there's a pang of knowledge that he's used to it.


End file.
